7 Books of Quotations that Capture the Joys and Challenges of Parenthood

By Beth Braccio Hering

 With its immense blend of love, fear, and responsibility, becoming a parent profoundly changes life forever. Knowing that other moms and dads experience the same type of intense feelings proves comforting, but finding words that adequately convey the ups and downs of raising a child doesn’t always come easily.

Quotes poignantly articulate what’s in the minds and hearts of people who take on the role of parent. Whether seeking a bit of advice and encouragement in tackling daily challenges or reflecting on the bonds both instant and lasting formed by having a child, chances are you’ll find words that resonate in the pages of the following publications.

Quotes on Parents and Parenting

By Patty Crowe

Buy It: $3.04

Touting itself as “mankind’s wisdom on parenthood from King Solomon to Dr. Spock,” this 48-page book features sentiments that capture the universal joys and experiences of being a parent.

Sample quotes: “You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.” – Kahil Gibran

“Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” – Elizabeth Stone

Quote Books Just For Mom

Daily Motherhood: 365 Days of Inspiration for the Hardest Job You’ll Ever Love

By Familius

Buy It: $15.99

Handling parenthood requires taking life one day at a time, so what better way to start each morning than a motivating quote. The pretty pictures accompanying the sentiments make this hardcover a keepsake any mother will treasure and reread for years.

Sample quotes: “Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn’t know you had, and dealing with fears you didn’t know existed.” – Linda Wooten

“There are times as a parent when you realize that your job is not to be the parent you always imagined you’d be, the parent you always wished you had. Your job is to be the parent your child needs, given the particulars of his or her own life and nature.” – Ayelet Waldman

Mom Candy: 1,000 Quotes of Inspiration for Mothers

By Jena Pincott

Buy It: $16.99

When you need a laugh or a reminder of the big picture, this book that reviewers call “witty and wise” will nourish your spirit. Chapters start with a brief intro of a stage or topic, such as “beginnings” or “balance,” and then provide offerings from everyone from poets to politicians.

Sample quotes: “Asking me to describe my son is like asking me to hold the ocean in a paper cup.” – Jodi Picoult

“As we carry our baby inside of us, we know almost nothing about it that distinguishes it from anyone else’s baby – except that we love it unlike any other baby.” – Roni Jay

All About Mom: From Mark Twain to Maya Angelou – Insights, Thoughts, and Life Lessons on Motherhood

By Dahlia Porter

Buy It: $21.98

Billed as a “wise, witty, touching, and always honest look at what it really means to be a mom,” this paperback tackles subjects such as strength, influence, modern motherhood, and unconditional love.

Sample quotes: “A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.” – Sophia Loren

“God bless my mother; all that I am or ever hope to be I owe to her.” – Abraham Lincoln

She Said WHAT? Quotable Women Talk about Motherhood

By Dr. Kathleen Cannon

Buy It: $6.95

Containing some 1,700 quotes, readers of this independently published paperback are bound to find many sentiments that ring true to their own experiences as a parent.

Sample quotes: “The best substitute for experience is being sixteen.” – Judy Mercer

“Mothers, food, love, and career — the four major guilt groups.” – Cathy Guisewite

Quote Books About Fatherhood

Dad’s Playbook: Wisdom for Fathers from the Greatest Coaches of All Time

By Tom Limbert

Buy It: $9.70

Sports-loving dads will cherish this collection of 100+ empowering quotes, accompanied by color photographs, from famous coaches in action. Chapters are divided into topics such as “lead and inspire” and “love and respect.” An introduction written by Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, in which he talks about his own family, adds to the book’s appeal.

Sample quotes: “Managing is like holding a dove in your hand. Squeeze too hard and you kill it, not hard enough and it flies away.” – Tommy Lasorda

“One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than fifty preaching it.” – Knute Rockne

DAD: Hundreds of Awesome Quotes about the Guy Who Does It All

By Adams Media

Buy It: $14.99

This 250+-page paperback of more than 400 quotes contains observations and words of wisdom on fatherhood from the diverse likes of Jimmy Fallon, Wayne Gretzky, Barack Obama, Sigmund Freud, and Shakespeare. Readers tout it as “clever” and “an excellent gift for a father, husband, or another dad in your life.”

Sample quotes: “To a young boy, a father is a giant from whose shoulders you can see forever.” – Perry Garfinkel

“Fatherhood is the greatest thing that could ever happen. You can’t explain it until it happens – it’s like telling somebody what water feels like before they’ve ever swam in it.” – Michael Bublé